Kakashi's Party
by lastyearsthing
Summary: Kakashi and his friends have his usual birthday party but something changes this year. slight kakasaku - some language
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in the story.

Chapter 1 - Toe-nail Assailant

* * *

Twenty-nine again - Kakashi silently wished as he sauntered down the dusty Konoha street. Wasn't that what women wanted? Twenty-nine and holding. Men shouldn't care about aging. They get more distinguished with age, don't they? he reminded himself as he scratched at the silver hair on his head.

_At least I don't have to worry about going grey...  
_  
His mind wandered back as it recalled his yearly ritual for every September 15th. His routine was an intimate tradition he seemed to always keep up with, although no one really knew about it but him. It was also something he never really enjoyed. _Same old, same old_. Old being the operative word. The usual birthday would begin with a short visit to the memorial (which many of his mornings consisted of anyway), an offering for Obito, and then some natto at the restaurant near the headquarters.

Kakashi's slow meander settled to a stop as he arrived at the restaurant. And to his surprise he saw his three former students having late breakfast at a window booth. All three wore customary Jounin uniforms complete with vests and holsters, and he smiled seeing them all together and looking entirely too grown up. It was a rare occurrence now, meeting up with them, as they were constantly away on missions, as was he. But inseparable as always, it was quite a nice reunion for team seven when such coincidences happened.

Kakashi smiled at them, and though they couldn't see it, they knew and smiled in return.

"Ah, Kakashi-Senpai, are you here for breakfast?" Sasuke asked in his calm tone when the Copy-nin approached the booth. The Uchiha's twenty-one year old smile flashed, and even though he was oblivious to it, most of the young ladies in the restaurant sighed.

"I was just coming in for some natto," their former sensei replied.

"Kakashi-Senpai, you can join us, but no natto here," Naruto piped in, holding his nose.

"All right, I'd like that," Kakashi said evenly, although he didn't intend to eat in front of them. He would just partake of their company for a while - see how they were doing. He slipped in the booth next to Sakura and smiled at her.

"We don't really see you much anymore, Senpai. I was going to look for you today,. It's your birthday isn't it?" Sakura smiled knowingly, proud of herself for being the only one at the table who remembered.

"Oh is it? Well, we'll have to go and have a drink tonight!" Naruto almost yelled in happiness at having an excuse to go to the pub.

"Don't you remember last year?" Sasuke began with a smirk, "Kakashi's birthday is a Konoha event."

"I don't remember it," Sakura said quietly.

"You weren't there, Sakura. Don't worry, I'm guessing Kakashi doesn't remember it either," Sasuke scoffed lightly.

"Ah, you're right. I think I should just hide this year." Kakashi put his chin on his hand and leaned on the table.

"Well, just don't drink too much," Sakura said matter-of-factly, as if the solution was perfectly clear and easily attainable.

Kakashi looked at her green eyes, so much older than when he had known them as the eyes of the twelve-year-old genin he taught. Now all three were strong young men and women taking over the burden of the A rank missions of Konoha. Thirty-four wasn't old at all, he mused to himself, but sitting with those fresh faced Jounins made him feel so much older.

"Well, I better go find my hiding place." Kakashi chuckled as he got up to leave. "I'll probably see you all tonight."

"Oh, we'll be there." Naruto laughed.

Kakashi slunk through the door of the restaurant and headed home. Sasuke was right; he couldn't remember much of last year's celebration. Gai, Genma, Anko, and Asuma had plied him with sake, making the room spin until he felt sick. Every year, the morning after, he would swear on his dogs that it would never happen again - yet every year it did.

_Same old, same old._

The day passed quickly and Kakashi hoped beyond hope that everyone would forget the date, but he really would never be that fortunate.  
As darkness neared, he could hear a howl of warning outside his apartment. Opening the wooden door, separating sanity from insanity, he could see the cause of the commotion.

* * *

"Stop howling, Asuma," Kakashi laughed. "I'm coming."

"Oh Kakash! You are in trouble. Those three young Jounins you used to teach are there with fistfuls of cash. They want to see you topple over before the end of the night."

Kakashi felt a little disappointed that they were there. He didn't really want to see their young faces lose their respect for him, especially Sakura. Her innocent eyes would be unforgiving while observing her drunken old teacher knocking over tables. The boys wouldn't care; he had seen them like that plenty of times, but her bright eyes would shame him.

Kakashi was almost half-dragged through town as the small group who came to kidnap him pulled him bodily towards the pub near the Jounin headquarters.

The place was already lively as they stepped in and a huge conglomeration of voices shouted out, "Happy Birthday, Kakashi!" upon his entrance. He put his hands up reactively trying to quell the applause and back pats as he moved through the room, his face three shades of red. He wasn't one to like attention. It wasn't his type of atmosphere, but year after year the crowd got bigger, and the noise got louder.

Finding a table at the back, he grabbed Genma's arm before he sat down.

"Genma, don't let me drink too much," He half-pleaded, "As a favor,. My old students are here,. I really don't want them to see me like that."

"Don't worry, buddy," Genma smirked, stifling a laugh, "I'm pretty sure they were here last year."

As Kakashi slumped into a chair, feeling the frustration of having no help whatsoever, the first birthday drink was shoved in his gloved hand. With a sigh of defeat, he slipped the mask down enough to let the dark liquid slide into his mouth, then tugged it back up. His friend's faces around the table all grinned like cats that had just caught the mouse, and he sighed again.

It was going to be a long night.

* * *

As the evening wore on, Kakashi seemed to lose his inhibitions abruptly due to being subjected to drink after drink. It was fun, and he had to admit he was enjoying himself. That is, until Sakura made her way to the table.

"Kakashi-Senpai? You look a little wobbly." Her eyebrows raised in concern.

"Oh Sakura, you are making me feel old," He slurred, waving a hand and nearly toppling a drink.

"What? How do I do that?" she asked, stitching her brow to show that she had taken it as an insult.

"Kakashi sat down at small table at the back of the room, his back banging against the vinyl cushioned booth too hard, as the Konoichi slipped in next to him.

"You look so young, Sakura, but still so grown up. What are you? Twenty? It seems like a long time since I was twenty." He sighed, the warm comfort of sake relaxing all his limbs.

"You think I look grown up?" she asked playfully, immediatly forgiving the insult.

"Well, you were just a little girl when I first met you...and even then I was older than twenty." He shook his head. Had it really been eight years since he first trained the team of young Genins?

"Why are you being so reminiscent? You sound like my grandfather," she laughed softly.

"I really didn't want you to see me like this. I'll lose your respect and ... you'll be able to see how old I've gotten."

Kakashi let his head fall back against the wood wall behind him, and Sakura could see his one exposed eye slowly close.

She smirked a little. He wasn't old by any means, but she knew how drinkers got. She'd seen Sasuke and Naruto hugging each other over a few cups of Sake.

_"You're the best, buddy"_

_"No you are, pal"_

At least Kakashi could keep his composure.

Feeling bad for his entire situation, Sakura sat beside him for a minute. The very last person she would call old was Kakashi. He was still a first rate Jounin, tall and strong. If she had a mission that was dangerous, she figured she wouldn't want anyone else watching her back. There was still no lack of women chasing him; even the Ramen girl constantly asked about him, but then she had seen his face, hadn't she?

Laughing to herself, she ticked her nail at the cloth around his face. He was so vulnerable now; he wasn't passed out but incredibly close. She figured if she could look under it he would probably be wearing a drunken grin. The temptation was sweeping over her. What could it hurt? They had known each other for a long time, although they were not as close now. She felt a little bad about that; she adored Kakashi as he was fun to be around. Tomorrow she would make a point of seeing him more.

Taking a long, sober look around the room, Sakura could see that no one was really paying attention to the man passing out or the pink haired woman sitting with him, so she decided to find a way to get him home. The thought of Genma or Gai plying him with more alcohol seemed cruel, and knew he didn't really want that.

Nudging his elbow slightly, Sakura watched the birthday boy stir a bit and opened his eye again. "No more thanks, Genma." He slurred through his mask.

Chuckling to herself, the young kunoichi pulled his arm over her shoulder and decided to heave him out the back door, hooking her small bag around her arm to hold him with both hands. He lived close by, and mercifully she had not drank anything so her chakra was a big help in supporting him as he leaned heavily on her.

It didn't take long to get him to his apartment and when she tried to open the door, she realized it was locked and that the key must be on him somewhere.

_Damn it.  
_  
Pushing him up against his door bodily, she held him with one hand, while the other searched his vest pockets. In his drunken stupor, his hands slid to her biceps and his head bowed forward onto her shoulder.

"Kakashi, for a lightweight drinker, you sure are heavy," she grunted while holding him up, carefully sliding her fingers into his pants pocket. She cringed at the thought of having her fingers down a drunken man's pants. Worse still, her hands were down the pants of her drunken former teacher.

_Thank-God!  
_  
Her fingers touched the silver key and managed to pull it out without him seeming to notice. She turned around in his grasp and he fell lightly against her back. She pulled his arms over her shoulders and bent slightly so she could support his weight. His heavy feet dragged along the floor before she heaved him onto the bed in the corner of his small bedroom. It was just a little single bed, but she supposed since he never married or had girlfriends he didn't really need a large bed.

With a motherly instinct she pulled off his shoes, and began to unwrap his legs. Then she moved to the vest and unzipped it, rolling him out of it. His headband was next, followed by his gloves. He was almost undressed, well, as far as she would allow herself to undress him anyway. He'd be comfortable enough for sleeping it off.

As she looked down at his closed eyes, she could see the scar covering the sharingan and slowly ran a finger down it. He moved slightly but didn't wake up.

Again she felt the urge to see his face; he was just asking for it being in this state. Her fingers began to run along the top of the fabric, testing to see if he was really asleep.

Her inner self was cackling, _"Mwahahaha!"_ spurring her on to do it. Mentally she was guessing at what she would see, convincing herself.

_I bet he is good looking, bet he has a baby face, bet...  
_  
That was enough; she was going to pull it down quick, then pull it back up. No one would know, it was a secret she could keep all to herself.

_No one would know...!!  
_  
Hooking her fingers into the black mask and sucking in a breath that she held tight in her chest, she pulled...

Expecting to be bent over the bed and looking at his face, Sakura was shocked to find herself lying on the mattress, her back crushed against the wall and a body pinning her there. Her breath was released in a panicked whimper as she looked at the uncovered face in front of her. She cocked her head and looked at him with a creased brow. Funny enough...his eyes were still closed and the most devious drunken smirk crossed his face.

_He's still asleep?  
_  
She took a moment to look at the sight in front of her. H...hot...? What the hell does he cover that up for?

It suddenly dawned on her that she was looking at him as a man, instead of a superior, instead of a teacher. She couldn't help but grin at her discovery. _Old?_ She laughed to herself; if that face was old then she must look like a grandma. He probably covers it up to stop from looking like a twenty year old, she mused inwardly.

Suddenly it felt too intimate, lying so close to him and being pinned by his warm body up against the wall...in his bed! From the close proximity of their faces, she could smell the sake on his breath and the musky scent of his cologne. It smelled nice... She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, moving a little closer to see what it felt like to be so near to an attractive man.

I've come this far, what could it hurt? she wondered. He's so handsome and a man should be kissed on his birthday right? I'm just giving him a nice little peck, as a friend. He probably won't notice. Her inner self was screaming that she had somehow lost her mind, but if he woke up she could just play drunk as well, pretend like she didn't know what she was doing. It had been so long since she was kissed, and this man's soft lips were just screaming for it.

_But it was Kakashi...remember? You don't really want to kiss Kakashi- Senpai, Sensei...Hentai!! _

Oh go on, her inner self chided in, he won't know, add it to your secrets.

Sakura 2, Kakashi 0

Slowly and still unsure, she closed the rest of the space between them, letting his breath sweep across her cheek.

_I'm just close, I'm not really kissing him_, she reminded her conscience. A little more and she could almost feel his lips on hers. She shook with anticipation, but started second guessing herself, unsure if it was a good thing to do. What if he woke up? What if he remembered?

Taking stock of their position, she decided that it was probably not a good idea, even though he was the hottest man her face had ever been near. It would be taking advantage of him in his vulnerable state. Deliberately trying not to wake him, she tried to figure out how to get out of their entanglement. His leg had pushed between hers and his arm was over her waist, pulling front tightly against his. The small bed made it impossible to push him back without him falling to the floor so she had to think of another way.

Deep in thought, she hadn't noticed his face move over closer to hers. It took a moment to register that his hand had slid up the back of her shirt and his fingers were running lightly over her skin.

"Uh...Kakashi?" she said softly as she felt him tighten his grip on her.

"You smell good. Is that Jasmine? You're so soft...warm..."

She thought that he might be dreaming; his eyes were still closed and that devilish look he wore was a little scary - exciting but scary. It occurred to her that in his state he was probably aware there was a woman beside him, but not his former student, not young little innocent Sakura!

"Kaka..."

Her argument was stopped with his mouth before she could even begin it. His soft lips pressed gently to hers as her inner self did a little dance. And it didn't stop there; it was lazy and slow but the coaxing tenderness and expertise with which he touched her with made her give in all too quickly.

More soft passionate kisses were given to her and she responded wholeheartedly. His fingers pressed into her back, pulling her body totally against his. She whimpered with pleasure. How long had it been since anyone had kissed her like that? _Too damn long_, inner Sakura nodded. He was masterful too; she could feel it everywhere!

His mouth found it's way down her neck and she tipped her head back to give him all the access he wanted. The soft drawing on her skin and the delicate flicks of his tongue made her thankful she'd decided to bring him home. _Serendipity_, she laughed to herself.

It went on for a little while. The passion was delicious with how he made her squirm with just his mouth on her throat. She had never thought of him in this way before but no matter what happened, she would never look at him the same way again.

After a good twenty minutes of make-out time, Sakura could feel his ambition waning. The sake had finally rung his bell, so to speak, and his head tipped back to the bed as his hands loosened on her. He was passing out. She knew he was this far gone, and figured that he probably wouldn't remember it when he woke up.

She giggled a little at seeing his mouth open and hearing the heavy breathing, which would soon turn to snoring. Now was her chance, she thought as she managed to release herself from his light grasp and slip from the bed - inching slowly down the end of it.

With a last long breath she found she couldn't get the grin off her face. It was, in a word..._splendid_. It bothered her a little that he would probably never kiss her again, but seeing as how a relationship wouldn't work, it didn't really matter. She had that hot half-hour with him; it was enough. Her new secret, she would take it to her grave.

Reaching down for the small handbag she had dropped on the ground, she had to laugh as a devious thought ran through her mind.

* * *

Morning screamed through the window above Kakashi's head, and he groaned in pain with the migraine that threatened to dig it's claws in right behind his eyes.

"Well, you've got another year to figure out how to avoid this again," he warned himself. Vaguely he became aware that he was in his bed, and tried hard to figure out how he had gotten there. "I swear on the dogs I won't do this again."

His mask was hanging around his neck, the headband placed neatly on the table on the other side of the room. His vest was hung over the chair and his shoes and wrappings were off. He sat up slightly to look at his feet, feeling the cold on them from where he'd pulled off the blanket.

"What the f..."

As he wiggled his toes, he became instantly dismayed at all the possibilities of how his nails had become a screaming shade of hot pink overnight. With quick hands, he checked the rest of his body for tattoos and piercings, and then sighed with relief.

He tried retracing his memory but it ended with the bar. He remembered drinking sake...god, and then more sake...and yet more sake. He was given sake by Sasuke, Genma, and Asuma. Anko had tried to pull down his mask so he went to the back of the room to hide when he saw...Sakura?

Rubbing his lips he began to remember bits and pieces of kissing someone. The softness of her hair, smell of jasmine, tender skin of her throat as he explored her with his mouth...

_Please god, don't let it be Anko..._

He couldn't remember! It was good, he knew that, and he was fairly certain they didn't have sex. Not that he could have in his state, but it was not for the lack of wanting to.

He lay his head back down and pondered whom it could have been. .

_...jasmine...pink...  
_  
"Shit! I don't have nail polish remover" he growled out loud.

* * *

"Oi, Sakura-chan? Ready for this morning's mission? Where did you go last night?" Naruto asked in his usual chipper tone. The alcohol never seemed to hit him like it did everyone else and she laughed as she saw Sasuke trudge up like a zombie, holding his head.

"I went home early, I didn't feel like drinking, " she lied, but couldn't stop herself from grinning.

"Kakashi-Senpai went home early too. He just disappeared. Genma was going to go check on him this morning to make sure he got home all right last night," Naruto chuckled. "I can't wait for Kakashi-Senpai's next birthday!"

Sakura grinned even more widely and pulled her collar tighter to hide the telltale marks Kakashi had left on her neck.

"Yeah, me too."


	2. The SClass Look

Kakashi's Party

Chapter 2: The S-Class Look

* * *

Rubbing his temples gently with two fingers, Kakashi managed to drag his hung-over and pink polished body to the bathtub for a steaming wake up. Using a kunai, of all things, he tried to pick at the glistening, fleck-filled pink nail polish gracing his ten manly toes.

"I've never understood why men wear nail polish."

Kakashi shook his head thinking of all the strange criminals he'd run across in his time, and they had always seemed to have these unusual coloured nails. He laughed a little (although it hurt his head to do so), to think of the likes of Uchiha Itachi putting polish on his fingernails.

"There is just no manly way to do that." He laughed out loud and finally gave up trying to get the feminine sheen from his toes.

_Pink is definitely not my color_.

There was just going to be no way around it; Konoha's elite Jounin genius Sharingan Copy-ninja, Hatake Kakashi, was going to have to go to the open and public store and ...purchase nail polish remover. He could see the exchange at the store with the young, flirtatious store clerk.

"_I need to buy some nail polish remover ...for my ...S- Class criminal friend." _

"_Oh, would you like fresh garden flower scent or cherry blossom aroma, Kakashi-kun?" _

"_What the f...?" _

He just couldn't imagine how difficult this mission would be. Who the hell had done this to him? It still evaded his hole-filled, drunken brain. The desperation of the answer picked at his stomach like bad sushi, terrified that it was someone like Anko or who else? Kurenai? Shizune? Damn, he just wasn't close to too many women, and whoever it was had left no clues but the gaudy pink remnants on his feet.

His genius mind began to process all the possibilities.

_Anko doesn't strike me as the pink type - more the cut you and use your blood type_. A slight chill ran through the Copy-ninja just before relief. That was the worst possibility that he could fathom and now he had all but dismissed it.

_Well, Kurenai could be quite a wild woman but she was always with Asuma, so that was probably not likely. Shizune always has that pig with her and I don't smell it around here. Besides, she isn't the pink type either._

_Pink? Jasmine scented? _

The only pink he could think of was Haruno Sakura. Well that was just ridiculous. She's practically a child for goodness sake, he told himself, and for lack of a better term, she was a goody goody.

It wouldn't be like the twenty year old pink haired feminine to do something so lurid as take a thirty four year old to his apartment and then take advantage of his sheer drunkenness. It had to be someone else; besides they had kissed and it was well worth doing again, he smirked, suddenly a little more intent on tracking down his mystery companion. It was a vague memory but he recalled being into it, as was she. Why didn't he open his eyes...? Oh yeah, they were plastered shut with sake.

Slipping on his vest over his fresh black uniform, even the drag of the zipper hurt his morning-after head. Sliding his large, size-tens into his sandals, the pink nails glowered against the dark of the shoes. He pointed at the pink as if it were mocking him.

_Look at that! Everyone's going to notice._

He contemplated covering his feet with wrappings, but everyone would ask how he got the injuries. Then he'd have to make up a story about fighting with an S-class criminal...um...over his nail polish...

_Damn, just get it over with._

Dragging his tired body towards the entrance in his self-induced, morning-after stupor, Kakashi opened the door that really creaked way too loudly to see...

"Genma?" His own voice hurt his head.

"Where the hell did you go last...uh...nice toes!" The laugh belted from Genma's mouth so hard, his senbon fell to the ground.

The gloved hands of the Copy-ninja flew at Gai speed to his ears as the laugh reverberated painfully through his head. Here was the proof. Those pink toes were like beacons for anyone he crossed paths with.

"Genma, did you see me leave with anyone last night?" he asked quickly but in a hushed, 'I don't want to hurt myself' way.

"Sorry buddy, one minute you were there, next you were gone." The brunette laughed again, taking a closer look at the way the sparkles from the polish really picked up the sun. "So you're telling me a woman did that to you, and you don't know who she was?" The laughter renewed liberally, and Genma actually needed to hold his stomach.

"Shut it!" Kakashi grumbled, "This is your fault," he whispered darkly.

"I think we'll all take the blame. You're lucky you left. Anko was dancing on the tables, and then she got talking about her new bra and one thing led to another..."

"_Stop!_ Stop right there...I think I might be sick." Kakashi placed his hand over his masked mouth as he waited for his stomach to calm. _Thank the Gods, it definitely wasn't Anko_. He breathed deeply as an escape from this death-assured mission suddenly came to him.

"Got any nail polish remover?" Kakashi asked sweetly, hoping he could avoid the embarrassing moment perusing the perfumed and pasteled cosmetic isle at the local market.

"What do I look like, an S-class criminal or something?" Genma answered matter-of-factly.

"Will you go get me some?" Kakashi asked even more sweetly.

"No fucking way," Genma chuckled, "You're on your own. I just wanted to make sure you're alive and you are, so enjoy your shopping trip. Let me know if you find your mystery woman. Did anything happen between you?"

"Well, I think so." Kakashi scratched at his head. "Thanks to your birthday gifts last night I can't remember everything...but...well...there may have been something." His finger tapped his chin trying to recall exactly what the something might have been.

"There's your answer. She's probably seen your face, and after your sexual encounter she'll probably come and find you."

"It wasn't a sexual encounter...completely... And why would she paint my toenails pink?"

Genma shrugged and looked sideways laughing. "Marking her territory?"

* * *

The sun shone down warm and bright as three flashes entered Konoha and landed at the red bridge hovering over the glistening, transparent river. The friends panted slightly as the blonde stood high on the railing, declaring himself the winner of their race back from their mission.

"Well that was an easy mission," Naruto chirped to his two closest friends.

"Anyone want to get lunch? I'm feeling better." Sasuke rubbed his empty stomach in circles as he lifted his nose, sniffing the air for any scent of food, "I think I smell ramen, Naruto."

"Don't have to ask me twice." Naruto started walking. "Sakura? You coming too?" His crystalline eyes shone under upraised eyebrows that begged for her friendly company.

"Um...I've got a few things to do today. I'll catch up with you two later, 'kay?" she smirked a little. She'd been thinking of her secret encounter with the Copy-ninja the night before, and felt a little guilty that she had smeared her brightest pink polish on his Jounin toes.

Was it guilt or guilty pleasure? She certainly wouldn't tell her friends about it, although to her, it was so funny she was just bursting with it - well the nail polish part anyway. But then she would have to explain how she got around his naked feet, and then they would tease Kakashi when they saw him...then he would know he'd kissed his old student...

The thought of how uncomfortable it would make their relationship was worth keeping it to herself, but the devious little pink devil inside her really wanted to claim the prank as her own. Truthfully, no one would understand why she was there with the drunken Ninja so it would have to remain her secret accomplishment...or rather, pleasure.

During her whole mission this morning she had thought of how funny it would be to see Kakashi trying to buy nail polish remover. She could just imagine the conversation he'd have with the flirtatious store clerk.

"_Um, how do I get this off my feet?" _

"_Well, you have to take this liquid and smear it generously over your toenails."_

"_It's that easy?"_

"_Well actually it's pretty difficult. If you'd like, I can come over to your place and show you..."_

Sakura shook her head. Maybe she'd be the wonderful friendly person that everyone (thinks) knew she was and purchase a bottle of remover for him. She could just drop it on his doorstep with a ribbon. It could be her birthday gift for him since she really didn't get him anything...well...except for the make-out time. She supposed her gave her a little present with the soft wet kisses that he lazily aroused her with...

S_top it!_ Inner Sakura shook her finger mindfully.

Laughing slightly at what the genius Ninja would look like parading around Konoha with pink nails, she nearly doubled over at the thought of him pointing to his toes, "_It's Passion Pink, do you like it?"_

She'd hurry before he got up from his hung-over state. The condition he was in last night would almost assure he was going to be in bed all day.

_Damn, should have taken a camera._

* * *

So far the illusive Sharingan Kakashi managed to get to the store unnoticed by the local ninja population. Desperately trying to avoid any embarrassing collisions, he made his way to the isle marked 'cosmetics'. It may as well have been marked 'Isle of no return' as he perused the colorful bottle filled shelves, hued boxes, and feminine packages hanging from hooks. It was definitely new territory for him and he mused that he'd rather go out on a life or death mission than walk along here - maybe it was the same thing.

Quickly his mind began to think of an excuse as to why he was in the 'Women's Isle', just in case. Shaking his head at his own timidity, he decided that he should just get it over with. He could see the young flirtatious clerk bending over some boxes nearby and turning to make sure he was watching her..._which he was_.

"Um, can you help me for a minute?" he said quietly.

"Certainly." The large smile cast over her face as wide and sweet as she could possibly make it.

"Yeah...so, I need to find _somenailpolishremover_," he mumbled quickly as he stood on his tiptoes to make sure no one was in the next isle or within hearing distance.

"Oh!" her eyes inadvertently went from his bare fingers and then dropped down to his beautifully painted pink toes. She cleared her throat, trying to sound professional through her giggle, "Um, I see. Well we have many different kinds with different scents."

"Anything is fine."

"Well," her eyes looked him over, "It can be sort of difficult to do. Um, I'm off in about..."

"I'll help him," a familiar voice piped, effectively stopping the clerks come on.

"Oh...ha, no, Sakura. This nice young lady was helping me just fine." The Copy-ninja's eye creased in a smile as his hand went to the back of his head in an embarrassed sort of way.

Sakura was delighted to find Kakashi there, of all places, purchasing nail polish remover. Her inner devil couldn't have planned the day better.

"Nonsense. What are you looking for?" Sakura gave the clerk a 'you are dismissed' look as the woman walked away looking a little more perturbed than the store's customer service rules allowed.

"Um...it's nothing." He looked around for a ninja escape route.

"Tell me what you need. Is it hangover medicine?" she smirked, enjoying the moment thoroughly.

"Ok. Promise to keep it a secret and I'll let you help me." Kakashi sighed with defeat.

Sakura was trying so hard to hold back the laughter at what she knew he was going to say. She nodded, knowing that spoken word would bring on a giggle fit.

"I need...nail polish remover," he whispered softly, bowing near her ear.

She feigned innocence and ignorance as her look gave him the impression she didn't understand.

Kakashi closed his eyes momentarily, steeling himself to compromise his manliness to the twenty-year old beauty.

Without a word, he looked down at his feet as her gaze drew down to look at his feet also. There they stood in the middle of the cosmetic isle staring at the flecked and glistening toenails of one Hatake Kakashi.

Sakura fought the laughter with everything she had but a snort escaped from behind the hand clamped over her mouth. She looked up to see Kakashi still looking down, but it wasn't at his own feet. She traced his line of sight and found it rested on her own pink, glitter-flecked toenails.

"S...Sakura? You were at my party last night, right?" He asked, still looking at her feet.

"That's a really nice shade on you, Kakashi!" she snorted again, ignoring his question.

"Um, your toes are..." he began, suddenly stunned with the possibility that he had spent actual romantic time with the young ingenuous...and couldn't remember it!?.

"Yes. Do you like them? It's a really popular shade. It's called Cheeky Cherry Blossom. It's the hottest color right now. Everyone is wearing it." She laughed again, finding it hard not to fall into full belly-laughs. "And I do mean _everyone_!"

She chortled behind her hand, thinking of his snoring figure lying on his small bed while she hummed lightly and put the blazing cherry color on his toes.

He gulped visibly, finding no humor in the situation. His eyes went to her collar that was pulled tight around her neck and the beginning pink blush of her cheeks as he watched her face turn a little softer.

"Here." She reached past him. "This is a good one. It'll take that off easily." She smiled widely. "Do you want some help?"

"Ah, no, no. It's fine. I'm a Jounin, I think I can handle a little nail polish." He frowned a little, still trying to fight the thought that his arousing encounter may have involved this young former student.

"Sakura? You were there last night, right? I did see you?" he asked cautiously, not really knowing if he actually wanted the truth.

"Yeah. I was there, but I took off early. I wasn't drinking and left when it got rowdy." She smiled what was unmistakably a devious smile. She wasn't really lying; she just wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Did we...talk or... anything else?" he asked, cringing slightly.

"What do you mean by anything else?" she asked, finding some hidden ability to hold her smirk at bay with his timid questioning.

"Ah, nothing. It's just..did you...oh, forget it." He decided it wasn't worth pursuing. She obviously wasn't going to admit it to him if it was she and as she said everyone is wearing the polish so it didn't mean it was her anyway.

"Yes we talked! You said I made you feel old!" She pointed accusingly at the Jounin. "I'm a little put out by that remark. You really aren't that much older than me, and we are both adults now. I resent the implications that I am, perhaps, a young child in your eyes." She fought the smirk again knowing he treated her as a woman that he found attractive the night before.

"Ah, I'm sorry Sakura. I don't remember saying that. I remember seeing you briefly but then everything is a little hazy." He rubbed the back of his head again, slightly embarrassed.

"Um, you don't remember anything after that?" She asked, feeling a little put out. "Do you remember how your nails ended up like this? I'm assuming you didn't do this yourself. Then again, when I saw you last night you were pretty messed up."

He eyed her suspiciously, he was sure she sounded a little disappointed that he didn't remember anything after they saw each other. He leaned down so they were face to face. "I remember some of the more interesting parts."

Unfortunately for her, his small exposed amount of face was unreadable. She bit her lip tensely as her top half leaned back from his weary stare.

"Y...you might want to get some cotton balls to clean your toes with," she digressed, suddenly feeling a little 'on the spot' with his direct stare. Her eyes moved to peruse the shelves behind him. "I...I should probably get going." Unconsciously she was turning red and hitched at her high collar a little from the warmth around her face and neck.

"Sakura." Kakashi could see the discomfort the Kunoichi was radiating, "You don't make me feel old. I suppose we both know it's quite the opposite." He rose to his full height as the smile creased his eye.

"Thanks," Sakura responded warmly. She backed away from him, softly banging into the shelves, but really not noticing as her hand moved in a small wave. Her smile was bright and her cheeks flushed as she knew she had been caught. Kakashi obviously didn't know for sure, but he was getting the idea and she felt it might be better to leave...although...she did feel an urge to stay.

As she made her way out she could see his hand up in a wave too as the pouty short-skirted store clerk slowly crept back towards him.

Kakashi watched the kunoichi slink away, looking like a fox caught in a trap. Breathing deeply, the unmistakable scent of jasmine filled his sense as it drifted away with her.

"Sakura" he laughed a little. "I never would have thought."

He shook his head at how people would react if they knew what she had done and decided it would be a secret he would cling to in his grave. Maybe years from now they'd talk about it and have a good laugh.

One thing was for sure; he'd never get ripped drunk around that little pink devil again.

* * *

edited Sept 08


	3. A Smile and a Wink

Kakashi's Party  
Chapter 3: A Smile and a Wink.

This chapter is dedicated to my artistic friend Duneboo who posted with me until midnight last night to get this chapter rolling. Thanks again! She helped come up with some of the quirky things in this chapter and the one thing that made it all come together, hence the chapter title.

Hope you enjoy it.

* * *

"Ah relief" the famous Copy Ninja breathed out as the scent of garden flowers filled the room with the slow unscrewing of the cap on his bottle of 'man-up' liquid. The sooner he got the pink polish off his toes the better, he had thought to himself as the strong scent of the acetone swelled in his olfactory senses.

It wasn't a pleasant smell to him, chemical flowers, and he felt he would need to air out the small apartment after its use. Using the bag of cotton balls and some cue-tips recommended by the purveyor of his pink painted misery, he dabbed and swabbed at the shiny cherry madness on his ten manly toes.

"Hm, it was easy to get off." He smirked as the cotton ball exhumed his beloved natural toenails. Within a matter of minutes, he felt back to normal with the exception of the churn in his stomach from the vomit inducing scent permeating every millimeter of his nose.

Shaking his head again, Kakashi was truly surprised to discover his Jasmine scented seducer was none other than _sweet little innocent_...well he'd have to redefine that definition.

He sat for a few moments letting the reverie encompass him as the passionate kisses they shared crept back into his mind. He suddenly became conscious of the unconscious light rub his finger was doing on his lips. Then more quickly becoming aware of his inappropriate thoughts, he shook off the idea that he might unconsciously desire a more conscious moment with Sakura.

Slipping his mask back up at the sound of a light knock on the door, he put his nagging conscience away for the moment.

"Hey Kakashi, I was just coming to see how your mission to the _ladies isle_ went." Genma smirked.

"Actually there were a few ladies in the ladies isle and they were talking about the underdeveloped sense of humor, among other things, of Shiranui Genma." Kakashi smirked back while rubbing his sore head a little.

He backed up and let Genma come in as he lay down on his couch.

"It smells in here...like the ladies isle."

"It's the nail polish remover. I know, it reeks." Kakashi rubbed his temples.

"Ah ha ha, I see your feet look a little less S-Class criminal than this morning." Genma laughed at the heaped pile of pink stained cotton balls on Kakashi's small wooden coffee table.

"Yeah. I don't see how women would want to do that all the time. The smell of the polish remover alone makes it a pain in the ass." A small hunger pang made its way through Kakashi's stomach and he began to think his hangover had taken pity on him and dwindled.

"So? Did you find said mystery woman?" Genma leaned forward from his chair across from the reclined copy ninja with sudden interest.

"Ah...um..." Kakashi wasn't sure what to say, as he looked sideways at his compatriot.

"Oh, you did. Was she hot? I know it wasn't Anko, Kurenai or Shizune so who's left?" Genma's brain started trying to put together the other Kunoichis at the party and Kakashi began to worry he'd put 2 and 2 together. He could almost see the smoke as the wheels were turning.

"Um, how do you know it wasn't one of them?" Kakashi tried to get him guessing.

"Well, Anko passed out long after you left. Kurenai was with Asuma and Shizune went home with yours truly, so that leaves...um..."

"Hey buddy. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to go back to bed for a bit. I feel a little sick. If I feel better we could spar later or something." Kakashi calmly decided it was time to move Genma in another direction, just in case.

"Ok, you should rest up for the pub tonight. There's a band in town." Genma got up to leave.

"No, not going." The tired sharingan user covered his aching eyes.

"I'll be over to get you about 8:00." He laughed ignoring the refusal, "and maybe tonight your mystery woman will come back for seconds, eh?"

Kakashi shook his head at the mere thought of Sakura coming to the pub and coming on to him...in front of people. The thought never occurred to him that she might be interested and he vaguely believed she must have been drunk too. But then she told him she wasn't drinking and went home early...he knew at least part of that was a fib.

Dragging slightly, he flopped onto his small bed still smelling a light scent of jasmine on his pillow where he had held her.

* * *

"Hey Sakura, where did you run off to? Sasuke ate the ramen then got sick; he just took off for home. What do you say we go over there and take him some sake?" Naruto laughed as he rubbed his hands together seeing the approaching Kunoichi.

"That's pretty cruel, don't you think?" She laughed, "Um...Ok." She added as they began to walk towards Sasuke's large home.

The day was cool and Sakura felt particularly giddy with her unusual but surprisingly pleasant encounter with the drunken copy ninja last night and then her equally as interesting encounter with the hung-over one today.

It seemed strange to her to be looking and thinking about him as anything other than a former teacher, but there it was. He had kissed her into a new point of view, she laughed inwardly. The embarrassment he felt for his toenail predicament only made her think more about him. Was it really wrong to have some minor feelings for someone a little older? Had he not been her teacher would it be just fine to go to dinner with him? There was that sad little fact that seemed to get in the way. He had taught her a long time ago, but she was a grown woman now, what would it hurt?

She played with ideas in her head and found she just couldn't relieve herself of that kind of thinking. He was well respected, and she'd seen bigger age gaps before. Truly he was only in his early thirties. With a sigh, she put it aside, it was pipe dreaming, she knew it. Even if she developed stronger feelings, more than her little tickle for more soft kisses, he would probably not want her anyway.

She couldn't help but smile thinking of his surprised look as he put it together. She seemed to be thinking of him non-stop.

"Um, Naruto. If you met a woman who was a lot older than you like ten years or so, and you thought that she was interesting and wanted to get to know her, would you think people would find it weird?" she asked out of curiosity more than intention.

"What like Anko?" he sneered. "Eeww!"

"Well, ok like Kurenai?" she asked a little more timidly.

"Um, I guess she's hot but she's always with Asuma. I think he could kick my ass...well, probably not, but she's taken." The sunshine blonde eyed her with confusion.

"Urgh, you aren't getting the point. Let's say a random woman who is quite attractive and fun to be around and is older than you by a decade or so winks and says she wants you, is it weird?" she shook her head in mild frustration.

"Hey, have I been talking in my sleep on missions?" his eyebrows rose nervously.

Sakura slapped her forehead in reminder that she was asking the completely wrong person. Muttering incoherencies she continued to walk towards the large expansive apartment of the hung-over Uchiha heir.

"I'm just giving you a hard time." He laughed. "Would it be weird? Maybe, but I certainly wouldn't turn down a hot older woman if she wanted me and I wanted her." He smirked a little. "It would probably be weirder if I was chasing an older woman who wasn't interested, I guess. Why are you asking?"

"Oh, just curiosity." She waved the question away.

"Um, I hope _you_ aren't the older woman, that's just wrong." He laughed.

"Shut up." She hit him playfully as they began to race to Sasuke's house.

"Last one there buys the first round." He yelled as he leapt to the roof of a nearby building. Sakura stopped in her tracks.

"What are you talking about?" she laughed.

"New band at the pub tonight. They're supposed to be good and you're coming with us. Come on, last one there is the older woman!" He yelled into the wind as he flashed away.

* * *

Kakashi awoke to find the room dark and the sound of a loud bang on the outside of the large door that just might be his salvation had he remembered to lock it. As the hinges creaked he cursed his lack of need for deadbolts and mentally made a plan to get one.

"Hatake Kakashi? Your ass is responsible for the first round of drinks." Genma's deep voice called through his bedroom door as the blinding light flicked on overhead.

"Nope, not going." His hand made a makeshift blindfold with staggering speed.

"Five minutes." He laughed as he made his way back out to the living room area. "You've got five minutes before I go out to the pub and announce to everyone that the genius copy ninja has a new found love for pink toenails."

Slowly, but with greater ease than this morning, the thirty four year old made his way out into the living room to see Genma leaning into the fridge.

"Alright, let's go before you pilfer all my food." Kakashi moaned groggily, "Just let me brush my teeth."

"That's the spirit."

* * *

"I can't believe I let you drag me out here tonight." Sasuke sneered as the smell of the alcohol made him gag out a dry heave. He stared at the mocking shot glass of whiskey in front of him.

Naruto laughed heartily as he slugged back the first drink and eyed the roseate haired Kunoichi with raised eyebrows. "Well?"

Sakura eyed the tiny innocent looking glass of dark shimmering liquid. She wasn't a drinker by any means and this golden brown alcohol, though safe looking in the glass would certainly become her undoing if she were to indulge too liberally. She looked back at the whisker-lined face of her twenty-year old friend.

"I really shouldn't. I really don't drink Naruto." She spoke timidly then bit her lip watching the glowing liquid flirting with her sensibility.

"Sakura, don't worry. We'll take care of you." Naruto chuckled and even Sasuke looked like he was going to enjoy watching the corruption of her delicate innocence.

"If I'm sick after this, I'm going to rip you a new one." Sakura slammed her fist beside the tiny shot glass and with frightening speed let the burning whiskey slip down her throat.

"ARGH, that's horrible!" she rasped as she scraped her tongue on her teeth trying to get rid of the rough taste.

Her two vested companions belly laughed at her grimace and likened her to a dog with peanut butter stuck to the roof of it's mouth with the way she tried to get the taste off her tongue.

"Get off the floor Naruto" she yelled at him in embarrassment.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. Let me get you a drink you'll like better." Sasuke chuckled as he headed for the bar and Naruto tried to regain his composure.

Upon his return Sasuke held out a tall glass with an orange slice and a cherry skewered with a tiny pirate sword over the top. A bright blue paper umbrella beckoned to Sakura telling her it was a safe drink and less fiery than what she previously imbibed.

"Um, that's better." She smiled with the tall straw in her mouth, "It's really sweet, almost like juice. This is much better." She continued, as she proceeded to drain it much too quickly. "What's it called?"

"Oh, that's a 'Skirt Lifter." Sasuke's eyes were wide at how fast the young Kunoichi had managed to empty the glass and still her straw made noises as she vacuumed up the last remnants.

"Wonder why it's called that?" She said as the warmth of the two drinks mixed in her stomach. Within ten minutes she was feeling more at ease with the thought of having a few drinks. "I'd like another, whose turn to buy?"

Sasuke and Naruto looked at each other and silently agreed that the next drink would be virgin. "I'll get it Sakura." Naruto stood up and moved to the bar watching her with wide blue eyes.

He was absently waiting for his turn when he spotted a familiar tired looking eye passing by him.

"Oi, Kakashi-Senpai, I really didn't think we'd see you. What brings you in here tonight." Naruto laughed as he remember the staggering form of his old teacher dodging a nimble fingered drunken Anko.

"Blackmail." Kakashi smirked, "How about you?"

"We're here for the band. Why don't you come and sit with us and I'll get a round of drinks. What would you want?" Naruto raised his eyebrows.

"Well, I guess we could sit for a minute." He said, absently spotting the pink-haired devil at the table, "I'll pass on the drink but you can get Genma some gasoline...make it sake."

"No problem. Oh, I see Genma's already found the table." Naruto laughed.

Kakashi watched the tall form of Genma take a place on a backwards turned chair at the table and smile at Sakura with that wide grin her reserved for attractive women, the long coffee stir stick balancing precariously from his teeth. He seemed to be involved in a lively story of some....

_Shit_

"Hey Genma, what are you doing, let's leave these young p...." Kakashi suddenly forgot what he was saying when he registered a change in Sakura as he chanced a glance at her. Her eyelids looked a little droopier than usual and she was smiling really warmly.

"I was just telling them about your little adventure last night." Genma smirked as Kakashi sat down next to him, his exposed eye still looking at the slouching Kunoichi in mild surprise.

"What adventure?" Naruto asked as he placed the drinks on the table. Sakura's hand immediately found the colorful glass in front of her and the straw pursed between her lips revealed the hurried movement of liquid.

"That's virgin, right?" Sasuke asked as he pointed to the glass.

"Oh Crap" Naruto mouthed back forgetting to order it that way.

They both shook their heads. Sasuke pointed to empty shot glass that resided in front of him. "She drank that too." He mouthed. Both rolled their eyes figuring that in about half an hour they would be carrying their teammate home.

"Sorry Genma, go on." Naruto looked nervous.

"Well, some mystery woman kidnapped Kakashi last night and took him back to his place. He doesn't remember who it was or at least he's not telling me." Genma chuckled as he let the first small cup of Sake slip down his throat.

No one noticed the copy ninja and the kunoichi share a glance.

"So what happened?" Sasuke asked with a slight chuckle.

"He's not telling but I think she maybe took advantage of him in his drunkenness and then painted his toenails." Genma was enjoying his little ribbing of Kakashi to an unimaginable degree as the two young men fell into fits of laughter.

As the clang and thump of instruments rang around the room, the band began to set up to play and the crowd tussled and moved around the bar filling up every seat and stool.

"So, Kakashi-Senpai?" the drunken Sakura's voice asked over the din, "What was your mystery woman like?" she smirked feeling the complete lack of inhibitions and the joy of inebriated fuzziness. She pointed her finger over her drink at him as her lopsided smile waited for his answer, the memory of his soft lips returning with the discussion.

"Fat and ugly" he said with the straightest face he could manage. It was hidden behind his mask but he knew the smirk would show in his eye. He watched the inner conflict on her face of whether she was going to show she was offended and let her secret out or keep it under wraps.

He knew she couldn't be sure that he knew it was she but a little sweet retribution wouldn't hurt, not after the humiliation of pink toenails was still fresh in his mind. To have Sakura here, half in the bag was just icing on the cake of revenge.

"Fat? And Ugly?" she creased her brows, then let them settle, "I guess that's probably the kind of women you draw then, is it Senpai?" she smirked.

"Ah, but she was a good kisser." He laughed, as the faces of his three former students looked at him in shock, incredibly stunned by an admission like that. Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other and both figured perhaps Kakashi was still drunk from the previous night. Sakura on the other hand couldn't help but blush and avert her eyes slightly. Even through the intoxication she was embarrassed he had said that, even though they were the only one's at the table who knew.

"Come on Genma, let's leave these three to their drinks, I see Shizune over there." Kakashi stood up and couldn't help the wide hidden smile upon seeing Sakura's bright pink cheeks. Genma stood up too and they left the three stunned Jounins sitting silently at the table.

"Holy crap, I wonder who Kakashi's mystery woman is?" Sasuke laughed. "Fat and ugly?"

"I'm sure she wasn't." Sakura added in somewhat affected, "he doesn't seem the type to be with fat and ugly. She was probably gorgeous and he's crazy about her."

"Ah ha ha ha ha" Naruto almost fell off his chair again. "Kakashi-Senpai? Crazy about a woman? He seems more the love 'em and leave 'em type."

Sakura watched him standing at the bar laughing and talking with his regular group of friends. Naruto was probably right, although her focus challenged mind was dismayed at the possibility that she was considering how nice their little interlude was. She sighed heavily as she watched him standing there, drifting in and out of focus.

"Sakura? Are you alright?" Naruto asked her quietly as she leaned lazily on the table; unable to draw her eyes back to the person talking to her.

"I'm fine." She said dreamily.

The night wore on and she managed to shmooze more drinks from people as she made the rounds in the bar. So many friends with cash to burn, she didn't think she'd bought one drink the whole night.

The band was loud, which made it more difficult to concentrate and she welcomed the feeling. Haruno Sakura, always thinking, now had an excuse to be blissfully mindless. She danced with Ino to the loud music and traipsed around with friends enjoying the lively conversations. At the beginning of the night her eyes would wander to her former Sensei but now the intoxication ran so deep, she didn't really know who was in the room. Her mind was off him until, in her drunken pace around the pub, she banged right into him, catching his arm to keep her balanced.

"Sakura, you look like you've had too much now." He said with some concern.

"Uh, Senpai, I think I had too much two hours ago." She looked a little woozy and rubbed her head a bit. "I've never drank before." She slurred.

"Maybe you should go home." He held her arm to stop her from teetering.

"Y...yeah, I probably should." Her eyes had trouble maintaining their focus on him as her vision drifted slowly around. She pulled out of his grasp as he had begun to scan the room for her teammates. "Where are Sasuke and Naruto?" He asked her as she stumbled back into him, her face pressing into his shoulder.

"Sasuke went home. I don't know where Naruto is." She chuckled a little as she tugged on his vest pocket and leaned comfortably against him.

With a sigh, Kakashi registered Naruto's drunken form on stage singing into an unhooked microphone along with the band. He was moving sluggish as well and he winked and pointed to the women around the small stage while firing imaginary bullets from his fingers.

_Unhooked? Thank heaven for small favors. _

Kakashi smirked as his mind ran back to the less than sober young woman clinging to his unzipped vest for fear of losing balance. With a sudden lurch she slipped down towards her knees, her arms caught in a light grip by the Copy Ninja shaking his head at her.

"Let's get you home." He said with a great deal of warmness. He peered at Genma and Asuma who had watched them and they instantly understood. They joined his concerned look as he pulled Sakura up to stand against him. Everyone knew Sakura was a fairly innocent girl and didn't frequent the bars often. She was never intoxicated to anyone's memory and as the men watched her they recalled their first drunk and the first hang over which in all probability was always the worst.

Kakashi led Sakura to the door, half directing, half supporting her, until the cool night air hit her face and she breathed deeply. The smoke filled pub had rung with the loud music for the last few hours and Sakura found she could still not hear properly, even out in the quiet night.

"I'm having a little trouble walking straight." Her loud voice said as she looked up at Kakashi with half-lidded eyes. Her foggy vision couldn't register if he was upset, laughing or even looking at her. She let her tired eyes close momentarily as she felt a great shift in weight and her feet lift from the ground. It felt like she was falling for a moment and she was dangling upside down.

The wind whipped her hair as she finally realized she was being carried over someone's shoulder, like a fireman would carry someone. They were moving quickly, she was quite sure of it and from a bit of euphoric dizziness she gripped onto the back of the vest he wore.

Was that just a few moments? She laughed a little at nothing in particular as she was stood up against the wall.

"We're at your apartment Sakura. Do you have a key?" Kakashi's smooth concerned voice reached her ears.

"Oh, Senpai? How did you get here? Want some coffee?" she slurred as her fingers tried with difficulty to find her key. After managing to clasp it, she staggered as her double vision tried to focus on the silver doorknob dancing in front of her.

"Stay still." She laughed, as the key end scrapped and tapped around the lock opening.

"Let me." Kakashi grasped her hand to steady it and led the key into the lock. Turning it, he clutched her around her waist and helped her inside, closing the door with his foot.

Sakura's drunken form slumped over on the couch as she watched the tall Jounin move easily around her kitchen returning with a glass of water and two aspirins.

"Take this Sakura. You're going to be sick in the morning, but it'll help a little." He held the glass out to her and she pulled it up and took a drink after popping the aspirins in her mouth. Kakashi didn't relinquish his hold on the glass just in case she dropped it.

Taking a deep breath as she managed to rest her eyes on the sharingan user, she smiled sweetly and her lids closed a little more. "I'm fat and ugly am I?" she slurred almost amusedly.

"Of course not." He humored her. "We'd better get you to bed before you pass out."

Lightly, Kakashi gripped her arm and helped her from the couch as her fingers plied at his vest. Her feet just weren't cooperating and it was frustrating her slightly. Staggering and dragging a little she leaned on his strong form.

"Thanks for taking care of me." She slushed out in less audible speech.

"Do you think it's weird?" she asked him, remembering some small remnant of her conversation with Naruto earlier in the day.

Kakashi sat her down on her bed as her head lobbed a little sluggishly but still managing to look up at his silver hair as he took off her shoes. He crouched in front of her and he began to remove the wraps on her calves.

"Do I think what is weird?" he asked offhandedly. He raised his face to look at her, seeming a little too close with her looking at him like that.

"That I really liked your kisses." She smiled with a warm drunken flush filling her cheeks and her clumsy hands pulling him closer, gripping at his collar. She let her fingers slip to his mask and he allowed her to pull it down to reveal his smirk at her drunken speech. She had already seen his face, the damage was done.

"I don't think it's strange. I liked yours too." He smiled softly as he continued to unwrap her legs. She was very sweet and he couldn't help feeling bad that she was going to be feeling less than sweet in the morning.

"Really?" she whispered.

He smiled at her bright eyes opening wider and the happy lopsided smile she gave him.

Grabbing his collar again she pulled his face close to hers and happily he wasn't really resisting. It was making things so much easier. His scent and soft touches were taking control, she couldn't stop thinking of his warm soft kisses and it was too late to back down now. The alcohol provided a perfect excuse to let her thoughts and new interests take over.

Well this was not uncommon territory for Kakashi; he had seen many a Kunoichi lose their inhibitions after a few 'Skirt lifters' at the pub. It was not uncommon for the average Jounin to take advantage of such willingness but this young woman was different. She always held a special place with him and it seemed unconscionable to take advantage of her in any way.

"I think you should sleep, Sakura." He whispered as he tried to untangle her fingers from his vest collar.

She watched his mouth as his hands gripped hers. His half smirk showed his will was teetering and she took advantage.

"Just one." She whispered and pressed her mouth to his softly, feeling him tense but not pull away. Releasing him after the innocent peck she looked at his face, he looked funny, somewhat surprised, somewhat pleased.

"Ok, two" he responded as he slipped his hands to the sides of her head letting his fingers play among her locks. Guiding her face to his, he kissed her deeply. Her kiss was drunken and imperfect but still held the ability to run feelings through both of them. He could feel her tremble as she moaned slightly with drunken passion.

Pulling him with her she fell back on her bed, the rough fall on top of her seemed to wake Kakashi from his momentary slip in morals and he rose up above her. He held himself in place and looked at her barely opened eyes, pressing his hands in the bed on either side of her.

Shaking his head he got up, freeing himself from her light grasp. She was way too drunk to do this without him feeling a tremendous amount of guilt and ensuring an uncomfortable relationship from now on between them.

She was passing out anyway.

With another smirk watching her writhing form try to get comfortable on her bed, eyes shut tight; he pulled his mask back up. The jasmine scent was on it from where she touched it and it made him smile.

_Oh the pain you will be in tomorrow,_ he sighed to himself and he wasn't sure whom he meant.

Kakashi turned to leave listening slightly to her incoherent mumblings, but something caught his ears before he reached her door.

"I think pink is your color Kakashi." she slurred a little as she spread out on her back, eyes closed to the night. Hm, a rather interesting statement, especially since she left off the honorific.

Turning slowly the nasty thought crept into his mind.

_I shouldn't_

_I really shouldn't_

Looking at the black permanent marker screaming to him from the silver holder on her small desk in the corner, Kakashi grinned like a schoolboy with a slingshot.

_I really should._

_Pink is my color eh?_

The copy ninja smiled as he slowly raised the Kunoichi's black shirt dragging it up her perfect tight stomach, her skin revealed goosbumps at his light touch.

_Hmm, not a mark on her_, he admired, _we'll fix that_.

* * *

The blasting beep of the alarm clock prompted a fierce round of wretching followed by an hour or dry heaves. Sakura didn't think she could feel any lower. _I'll rip a new one for Naruto for this_, she thought painfully.

She didn't have to piece together the night, she remembered everything. The drunk dancing, the drunk flirting, the fireman's carry and the amazing perfect kisses.

_Is every night going to end up this way?_

Not exactly a bad proposition with the exception of the hang-overs. Perhaps she would get to kiss him at least once while they were both sober.

After a couple of hours of much needed sleep and so much water she figured she drank the land of Mist dry, Sakura managed to drag her half asleep body to the shower.

The warm water felt good sliding over her aching skin and as she finished, she had just managed to open her eyes. The towel was hung lazily over the shower curtain and she dried herself off before stepping out onto the pink plush bathmat in front of her sink.

Rubbing the mirror with the towel so that she could survey the damage to herself, she noticed something rather peculiar on her stomach. The complete shock and dismay left her speechless as she peered at her skin again in the mirror to see what appeared to be a large smiley face that was winking. She cringed at the realization that it also had not come off in the shower...permanent marker.

Looking at the little black streak of a scar drawn over one eye of the face she cringed with the possibility that she might not actually remember everything that went on.

"KA...KA...SHI!"

* * *

I wasn't sure if I wanted to do another chapter for this. I don't want to overkill on the fun. I did want Kakashi to get back at her. There will most likely be another chapter after this one when the muse hits me.

Thanks for reading.

Leafy.


End file.
